CNY Horse Training

08/14/2026

08/02/2026

08/01/2026

🤔 single joints - are they as bad as we think?
So historically single joints have been branded as nasty bits but why?

We have been told they have 'nutcracker action' which we've been told means palate pressure and pinching.
New research has discovered that the single joint doesn't actually cause palate pressure as the bit rotates downwards under rein pressure and backwards rather than upwards into the palate.

But we still get an element of pinch - squeezing of the tongue and lower jaw.
This term nutcracker should in fact be applied to any jointed bit, single or double jointed as they both squeeze the jaw by default.

We assessed 4 different types of single jointed bits.
1st we tried a thick straight cannoned single joint and observed that it created a V shape around the tongue and depending where it is situated in the mouth, would squeeze the grass muscle.

2nd we tried a thinner straight cannon and observed the same as 1 but with it being narrower it showed more pressure than the thicker, makes sense - smaller surface area.

3rd is the Demi anky and saw that the joint scooped around the tongue giving a more rounded U shape but still quite narrow along the cannons.

4th was the Curved shape of a more anatomically shaped single joint. This is designed to create a wider U shape in the mouth to reduce the amount of squeeze. Though no matter where I placed the reins or how much pressure I applied to the reins I could only make a W shape. This actually caused the link to rotate into the tongue. Maybe this was due to the lack if lip support on the model but I found it an interesting find.
- further research needed with a live model to see what happens with the joint in a real horse's mouth.

Thought it was an interesting case study.

07/29/2026

Collection Begins at the Shoulder, Not the Hind Leg
Many riders spend years trying to create more engagement from behind.
Yet the horse never truly collects.
Why?
Because collection isn't created by pushing the hind legs harder.
It is created by giving the hind legs somewhere to go.
If the shoulders continue to run forward unchecked, every ounce of impulsion simply travels out the front door. The horse gets bigger, faster, and heavier—not lighter.
The first responsibility of the rider is to organize the forehand.
Only when the shoulders can be balanced and redirected can the hindquarters begin to accept greater weight.
This is why exercises like shoulder-in, travers, renvers, and well-ridden circles are so valuable. They aren't tricks.
They are gymnastic exercises that teach the horse to organize its body around the rider's aids.
Collection is not an increase in effort.
It is an increase in balance.

07/26/2026